How GWS Giants star Aidan Corr rebuilt his body in Ireland

GWS Giants defender Aidan Corr has revealed how a desperate trip to see medical specialists in Dublin has rebooted his career after losing all power in his legs from a mystery groin injury.

Sydney's Isaac Heeney puts big tackle on Giants Aidan Corr. Picture: Phil Hillyard

Dublin might normally be considered a prime choice for an off-season footy trip, even if you do hail from Northern Ireland.

But GWS defender Aidan Corr’s jaunt back to the land of Guinness wasn’t a Contiki tour or sort-of homecoming – it was a mission to revive his career.

UNSUNG HERO: MUMMY TURNING BACK CLOCK

TOUGH YEAR: LONGMIRE CONCEDES SWANS IN REBUILD

Struck down by a mysterious groin injury that kept him sidelined from Round 17 last year, Corr sought out a sports medicine expert in Ireland in a desperate bid to find an answer to why he had lost all power in his legs.

Corr returned to the AFL on Saturday night in place of the injured Phil Davis, although he was able to breathe a sigh of relief when Sydney star Lance Franklin was a shock late scratching.

Devastated he wasn’t able to get back on the park for last year’s finals, Corr headed to Dublin in mid-October to meet with world renowned doctors and physios Dr Andy Franklyn-Miller and Enda King, who specialise in groin injuries.

Sydney’s Isaac Heeney crunches Aidan Corr on Saturday night. Picture: Phil Hillyard

It’s been a long and frustrating journey back, but the two-day intensive examination has rebuilt the 24-year-old for the rigours of defending the Giants’ fortress.

“It’s been a bit of a disaster. Obviously, the big one was missing finals. If I could give back all those games before to play finals I would have,” said Corr, who was born in Northern Ireland before emigrating to Australia.

“I had it (osteitis pubis) midway through the year and I was dealing with it. It became too much. I lost the power. It was a slow build.

“I actually saw some specialists in Ireland.

“They found weaknesses around the hips and glutes, as I was loading the wrong areas through my groins.

“They had world-class doctors and physios and a great facility where I could do everything over two days.”

Aidan Corr is hoping to hold his place in the GWS backline. Picture: Michael Klein

Corr was welcomed back to first grade by a crunching hit from Isaac Heeney early in the Sydney derby after a hospital handball from Tim Taranto.

Now the rust is gone, Corr is focused on trying to cement a place in the Giants defence when Davis returns from his rolled ankle. Fellow backman Nick Haynes was superb against the Swans, creating a logjam for spots ahead of this Saturday’s clash against St Kilda in Canberra.

“Nick was amazing — he marked everything, made my life easy. With Phil, it’s lucky I’m not in match committee — that's a tough one,” said Corr.

“Everyone played pretty well tonight. He's obviously going to come back in, he's our leader.

“Phil's coming back in, I want to play, everyone's putting their hand up. We've just got to back our system. All talls can play on smalls, so whether we go tall and what St Kilda throw up at us will dictate.”

Originally published as How GWS Giants star Aidan Corr rebuilt his body in Ireland